Published on 03 May 2022

How Long Does Prozac Stay In Your System?

Prozac (Fluoxetine) HOW-LONG-DOES-PROZAC-STAY-IN-YOUR-SYSTEM
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Depression is a mood disorder that seriously affects your daily activities by making you very low in energy, insecure and aggressive, which affects your health. Depressive episodes will make you cry, sad, and feel hopeless, but remember, and everyone faces this kind of situation atleast once in their lifetime.  

But one who is dealing with depression will have sadness, Low self-esteem daily. That should be immediately treated with the help of a doctor. Untreated depression will harm you by leading you to develop suicidal thoughts etc. 

In the US, 1 in 10% of Adults faces depression, affecting their ability in school, college, and the workplace. Moreover, 16.39% of adults reported major depressive disorder. 

There are several antidepressants available to treat your condition, Like drug Prozac is widely used and a very effective drug to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety, and other conditions. Let us see about the drug in detail.

What is Prozac?

Prozac or fluoxetine is a widely prescribed drug in the US for treating antidepressants. More than 28 million Americans use Prozac. It helps treat depressive episodes by stimulating certain chemicals in the brain cells. The Food and drug administration approved the drug to treat adults and children with depression. 

Moreover, it helps treat your unusual moods, sleep patterns, and appetite and restores your daily activities. It is widely used in conditions like Major depressive disorder, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, Migraine headache, Fibromyalgia, Generalised anxiety disorder, Panic disorder, and Bulimia nervosa.

How Does Prozac Work?

Prozac is an Antidepressant drug belonging to Selective serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that usually work by increasing the level of neurotransmitters. It works by inhibiting the reabsorption in the serotonin level, which is the chemical in the brain that helps regulate mood, behavior, digestion, sleep mem, Sexual Desire, and other functions.

A low level of serotonin will result in depression, and the low level should be treated in affected patients. Prozac is very effective at treating serotonin levels, which helps manage depression and anxiety. It was the most prescribed drug in the US. It can be used in children over the age of 10.

How Long Does Prozac Take To Work?

The active ingredient, Fluoxetine, is absorbed in the gut after taking the drug. It is metabolized in the liver and converted to norfluoxetine metabolites via demethylation.

Fluoxetine's mental health advantages, like those of most antidepressants, do not appear immediately after therapy begins. Some people may show changes as soon as two weeks after starting treatment, but it usually takes 4-6 weeks to manifest the total mental health benefits.

How Long Does Prozac Stay In Your System?

Prozac (Fluoxetine) stays in your system for 25 days after an individual stops taking the drug. However, prescription drugs are only 99%out of the system.

If a patient takes Prozac for over 22 days, specific metabolites are excreted into the system. Depending on other factors, these secretions will take around 22 to 82 and a half days to be eliminated from your body. 80% of the drug is excreted through urine.

Prozac is not usually standard for urine, hair, or blood tests. On the other hand, special test kits can be used to check for the presence of Prozac in various tissue samples.

How Long Does Prozac Stay In Urine?

Urine tests from Prozac users have revealed detectable levels up to 96 days after their previous medication.

How Long Does Prozac Stay In Blood?

Blood samples from people who had been on Prozac for a long time proved positive for the drug even 96 days after they stopped it.

How Long Does Prozac Stay In Saliva?

There is inadequate evidence defining how long Fluoxetine can be found in the saliva due to a lack of study.

How Long Does Prozac Stay In Hair?

Fluoxetine is undetectable in hair samples. As a result, the drug in the hair has no detection time.

The Half-life Of Prozac

Half-life refers to the time taken by a drug to reduce the number of active ingredients present in your blood in half. Fluoxetine has a half-life of roughly 2 to 7 days; norfluoxetine has a half-life of 4 to 15 days. Fluoxetine remains in the system for approximately 2 to 3 months after the last dose when nor-Fluoxetine is wholly eliminated.

Study On The Half-life Of Fluoxetine:

A study on the pharmacokinetics of Fluoxetine found that Fluoxetine is well absorbed after oral administration, has a high protein binding rate, and has an extensive distribution volume. The half-life of Fluoxetine is 1 to 4 days, while the half-life of its metabolite, norfluoxetine, is 7 to 15 days.

Fluoxetine interacts with several other medications. The blood concentrations of antipsychotics and antidepressants were enhanced when Fluoxetine was given repeatedly.

Another study on the half-life of Fluoxetine and its metabolite norFluoxetine found that the half-lives of Fluoxetine and norfluoxetine were 1116 hours and 2129 hours, respectively. Even after a single fluoxetine dose, functionally significant blood concentrations of norfluoxetine were detected at 24 hours. Norfluoxetine accounted for the more substantial percentage of active substances in the bloodstream, as observed in people under steady-state settings.

Factors That Influence The Stay Of Prozac

The stay of Prozac depends on various factors, such as how long you have been taking it. And how much have you been taking? Other factors that influence the stay of Prozac are:

  • Age
  • Sex
  • Body Mass
  • Genetics
  • Food Intake
  • Hepatic Function
  • Metabolic Rate
  • Urinary PH

The metabolites released when taking Prozac (norfluoxetine) will take 22 to 82 days to empty the patient's system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Usually, SSRI group drugs have the presence of Addiction naturally. It is possible to develop a physical addiction process to the drug; some antidepressants have withdrawal effects due to the sudden stoppage of the drug.
According to the study, there is evidence of weight gain for people using Prozac for a more extended period. We can't say antidepressants lead to weight gain; some factors denote weight gain; due to depressive disorder, you are probably less active, and this tends to gain weight in adults.
Studies show people taking less than 25 years of age taking antidepressants for any condition will probably feel sad, have behavior changes, and even have suicidal thoughts due to the drug's effect.

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Possible Side Effects

There are two types of side effects that a person can suffer from. Some of the side effects turn into adverse effects on your health. It depends on various factors.

Common side effects Severe Side Effects
Headache Mania/hypomania
Weakness Skin rashes
Fever Seizure
Diarrhea Difficult to urinate
Indigestion Tremor
Dizziness Fast heartbeats

If you experience the above, you must visit your doctor immediately and take the necessary measures.

Precautions Of Prozac

Before using the medication, inform your doctor about your medical condition and the medication history or if you have any allergies to the drug. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, tell your doctor about some of the complications listed below. 

  • Allergic reactions: People with allergic reactions taking the drug will have rashes. If you face any swelling or rashes, inform your doctor and stop the medication immediately.
  • Bleeding: The drug can reduce the number of platelets in the blood, making it difficult to stop your bleeding from any sudden cuts or injuries. Such as, if you experience some unexplained  bleeding, inform your doctor 
  • People with diabetes: The drug may change the sugar level if you have a diabetic patient; inform your doctor before taking the medication,
  • People with Glaucoma: The drug increases your eye pressure and worsens your condition. If you have an eye infection, inform your doctor about your situation before taking the medication. Your doctor may adjust the according to your age.
  • People with heart function: The drug will lead to increased QT prolongation of the heart rate, called a severe life-threatening condition; they may suffer from seizures and fainting. If you have any heart-related disease, inform your doctor before taking the drug.
  • Psychotic condition: Using the drug may cause mania episodes, especially for bipolar disorder. If you notice any high energy level, hallucination, and aggression, inform your doctor immediately. 
  • Pregnancy: Pregnant women reported using in the last trimester may experience side effects such as breathing problems, seizures, trouble, and crying. This may lead to an increase in the congenital disabilities of the fetus. So do not use this drug during your pregnancy.
  • Breastfeeding: The drug will pass into your breast milk. Breastfeeding your baby may affect your baby's health, so inform your doctor before consuming. 

Drug Interactions

Prozac may interact with other drugs, such as MAOIs, antipsychotic drugs, and antidepressants. Some of the interaction will lead to side effects of internal bleeding and seizures. So before taking the medication, consult your doctor about your medical history.
  
Some of the Serious drug interactions are:

Drugs like NSAIDs, Aspirin, and warfarin:

While taking medications like NSAIDs, aspirin, and warfarin will interfere with Prozac and increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding in your system.

Serotonergic Drugs:

Avoid taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, tramadol, buspirone, and the level of serotonin syndrome when consumed with Prozac. 

Electroconvulsive Therapy: 

Avoid therapies because they cause sudden prolongation and develop seizure attacks.

Anticonvulsant Drugs:

Medications like carbamazepine, phenytoin,  and oxcarbazepine can cause anticonvulsant toxicity while taken with Prozac. 

It causes adverse effects on the users of Person consuming Marijuana, muscle relaxers, codeine, or alcohol.

Bottom Line From Practical Anxiety Solutions

We understand the Drug Prozac; it is an antidepressant drug that belongs to a group of Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. It is safe and effective to treat depression, anxiety, and other disorders. The drug can have some adverse effects due to the ideal thoughts in people.

Some drug interactions should be discussed before taking the drug because taking this drug with the Monoamine oxidase inhibitors group of drugs will be very harmful to you while consumed together.

If you wish to discontinue the drug, contact your doctor and stop using the medicine because your doctor will help you to overcome this withdrawal effect by reducing the dosage.

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